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March 4, 2013

details at céline

despite the month-long marathon of fashion shows around the globe, nothing quite compares to paris fashion week. not only is it the most fashionable and romatnic city in the world, but it's where the very best designers put their collections on display. the creme de la creme. we're talking chanel, saint laurent, dior, givenchy... #PFW is the ultimate flourish to complete fashion month.

ask any editor, model or blogger who their current favorite designer is, and 99% will say céline. the past few seasons have been some of (creative director) phoebe philo's absolute best. we all remember last fall's iconic coats -- striped, belted, cocoon-shaped -- as well as the white and metallic accents. it all added up to an unmistakable cool-girl vibe. spring brought us a brand new approach: laid-back glamour in the form of furry sandals, boxy dresses over pants, and glimmering swaths of silk in "louche" feminine colors like blush, cream and silver.

this fall saw much more structured proportions and less overt feminine details -- but they were still present. the fabrics used were tactile, cushy and comfy-looking, like shaved fur or bouclé; the color palette ranged from pale neutrals to bold plaids; dresses and coats appeared to have their sleeves yanked forward and tied into knots; shirts were topped off with large, unfinished bands of fabric, like ultra-chic straitjackets; sweater and coat sleeves were intentionally too long, carelessly hiding models' hands; a graphic overblown plaid pattern added a playful vibe to otherwise predictable coats; handbags were large rectangles, folded up and clutched in the coolest way possible (some even had slits for hands to slide through); flippy skirts drooped below the knees for an unexpected twist on the mid-length trend.

the trend book sitting on every seat at the céline show displayed philo's inspiration for the collection: clouds, yarn, 15th century flemish paintings, portraits, fluffy things. we may not have access to these images, but after viewing the collection, it's easy to use our imaginations. puffy clouds, a sense of warmth, fuzzy fabrics and soft, atmospheric light and color (thats the painting reference) are all there. of course, the proof is in the details. see below for all of the plush textures, floppy clutches, space-age chokers and more from yesterday's show: